AN: Yep, it’s amazing, but I’ve already begun a new story. I’ve just been inspired lately. Blame it on the music… without concerts, this and Finding Religion never would’ve been written. So shameless plug time… check out the Dizmas atwww(dot)dizmas(dot)com. They have myspace too, like everyone in the freakin world. They rock. Enjoy. Use your author alerts, I update slowly. Sorry. I have school and work to deal with.
Silver stars to anyone that can figure out who or what my chapters are named after. Maybe even a sneak peek if I get it before chapter three. :) Kayli

Nightingale

© KES

Chapter One

One of These Nights

There were a lot of things memorable about tonight. It’s much, much too cold inside our little house—definitely below sixty degrees. The wind is howling outside; I get up to see how hard it’s snowing and draw a broken heart in the condensation on the glass without even thinking about it.

The room smells of laundry detergent, the basket of clean laundry discarded on the floor, forgotten. The TV is on, barely audible.

You won’t look at me and it hurts more than anything else that has happened between us.

“I’ll tell you everything, if you’re sure you want to know,” I say, twirling the ring on my finger.

You nod slowly, your eyes on the ring. “Everything.”

…

I was running really late. My psychology professor had kept me after class for fifteen minutes congratulating me to be the only person he’d ever given an A to on any exam. While I was immensely proud of this and would normally be soaking up all the compliments, there was a concert downtown that I was not going to miss.

I ran to my car. It was only October, but it was well below forty degrees. Such is the weather in Duluth. I blasted the heat in my car and peeled out of the parking lot. I didn’t have much time.

I made it downtown in record time, parked half a handicap spot, and bolted towards the club. It was evident that the headlining band was the only one left—no one asked for my ticket as I searched high and low, trying to find anyone I knew.

“Cailin!” My best friend Kate waved at me from behind the Alrights merchandise booth. I immediately bounded over to her.

“Have they played yet?”

She shook her head. “The last band just finished. They have to do set up and everything.”

I sighed in relief. “Thank God.”

“What took you so long?” she asked me.

“Psych. I’m just too brilliant,” I grinned. “Ahh, so have they talked to you?” I was practically squealing now.

Kate rolled her eyes at me. “Yes, they’ve talked to me. You know they’ve talked to me. They’ve talked to me before.”

“I hate you.”

The Alrights were a screamo band from California. While in recent days, screamo had become the biggest trend since boy bands, I’d been a huge fan for years and was absolutely ecstatic that the guys finally realized Duluth existed. I’d seen them a couple times before in Minneapolis, but this was different. The Encounter was a smaller venue and while it sold out, it was nothing compared to their sell-out shows in the cities. It felt like a much more intimate setting.

Kate volunteered at the Encounter in exchange for free tickets to the shows. She had somehow managed to get to work the Alrights merchandise booth. It wasn’t surprising. She’d worked the merchandise booth for them in Minneapolis, at a place she didn’t even work. She had her way of getting what she wanted at venues.

The lights dimmed and I let out a squeal of delight. “See you after the show?” I squeezed Kate’s hand and took off for the stage without waiting for a response.

It wasn’t hard to force myself to the front row. People just sort of moved out of my way. I was determined to be in front, something I hadn’t achieved at any of the shows prior.

I ended up almost directly in front of the Alrights’ guitarist, Brenden Young. I smiled at him, outrageously excited, and he smiled back.

And I thought I was going to die.

The show was incredible. They played all their best songs and some of their older ones, which only a few people knew. Duncan Porter, the lead singer, actually grabbed my hand during the set and I shrieked like a little girl at a Backstreet Boys concert. I couldn’t help it. They were my Backstreet Boys—except they played instruments. And had talent.

I approached the merchandise table when the show was over. Kate was absolutely overwhelmed. Before I knew what was happening, I was behind the table, selling what felt like hundreds of tee shirts, CDs, buttons, and posters.

The guys appeared and all hell broke loose. There was little organization so those who had already bought their things were back in line to get autographs. It was a complete disaster.

“Alright!” Kate stood on her chair and shouted and I giggled at the reference. She rolled her eyes before focusing her attention on the mass of people in front of her.

“I’M TALKING!” she shouted even louder and people quieted down. Brenden snickered at her.

“AUTOGRAPHS—THAT LINE, MERCH—THIS ONE. SCREW IT UP AND I’LL KICK YOU OUT OF HERE.” Kate yelled before returning to selling a bunch of tee shirts like she hadn’t said a thing.

The line went on forever. The guys went through about three permanent markers. I was exhausted by the time the venue finally started emptying.

Kate fell back into her chair, closed her eyes, and sighed. Duncan placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead which she didn’t react to. I wanted to slap her. The lead singer of the best band ever just kissed her and she didn’t even acknowledge him!

“I’m Duncan,” he said to me, extending his hand.

“I know,” was all I could manage.

He laughed.

“She’s Cailin,” Kate spoke up from her chair, her eyes still closed. “She’s my best friend and possibly the most obsessive fan you have. She used to write—“

“Finish that sentence and I’ll kill you,” I hissed at her, deadly serious. There was no way in hell I was going to let her tell him about the huge crush I used to have on him.

Well, still have, but… hell. He’s gorgeous. He’s an amazing musician.

And he’s gorgeous.

Really, really gorgeous.

“It’s nice to meet you, Cailin,” he released my hand, smiling at me, emerald eyes sparkling. “Thanks for all your help tonight. I think Kate here would’ve lost it without you.”

“Psh,” Kate muttered.

“Both of you,” Duncan said, “Go ahead and take what you’d like. We wouldn’t have got through this without you.”

I squealed, though only took one shirt and a zip-up hoodie.

“That’s it?” Brenden inquired, pausing beside me with huge containers in his hands. “You can take the whole table if you’d like.”

“Oh, she would,” Kate smirked, “If she didn’t have everything else already.”

Brenden and Duncan both looked amazed. “But that’s like… almost two-hundred dollars…” Duncan said.

I blushed. “Shut up. I’m devoted. And I’ve had a lot of time to buy this stuff.”

“Yeah,” Kate added, “She has some stuff you guys don’t even carry anymore.”

I just rolled my eyes and went back to folding their leftover merchandise. Brenden and Duncan smiled at both of us before going to help the roadies tear down the stage.

“I have a dilemma,” Kate said once the guys were out of earshot.

“Embarrassing the hell out of me?”

She smiled, “They like you.”

“They think I’m crazy obsessed!” I said louder than I intended as Brenden turned around and gave me a little wave. I could feel my face heating up.

“You are crazy obsessed,” she pointed out, but she was smiling at me so brightly that I couldn’t stay mad at her.

“Okay, friend, what’s the dilemma?”

“It’s…” she looked around, seeming almost paranoid, “…Brenden.”

“Oooohhh,” I squealed and once again, it was much louder than I intended. This time though, it was Kate doing the blushing. “Someone’s got a cru-ush!”

“God, you are so juvenile!” she hissed at me.

I pouted, knowing it wasn’t me she was mad at. Most likely, it was herself. She always got snippy when she was upset with something she’d done—or hadn’t done.

“I feel like such an idiot,” she admitted, “I really want to ask Brenden for his number. I mean, I have a huge influence around here, maybe I could get him some shows…” she trailed off.

While she was right about having an influence at the Encounter—the place practically ran on what she considered to be good music—she wasn’t fooling me. She had a thing for Brenden.

“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?” I inquired.

She sent one of her iciest glares my way, “That’s why I don’t want to ask him. I don’t want to sound like I want him or anything.”

I let out a sigh. “Fine. Take off. I’ll make up an excuse for you and get it.”

“But—“

“Don’t you even act like that wasn’t the reason you brought this up, Kate,” I said sternly, but I smiled. “You’re allowed a band crush too. But now you can stop making fun of me for mine.”

She smiled gratefully at me, said goodbye to the guys, and took off. I helped them clean up a little more, knowing I needed to stick around a little longer. I had an eight o’clock class in the morning and it was nearing one in the morning, but I didn’t care all that much. I was still in the mood to savor what was the best concert of all time.

“You don’t even volunteer here, do you?” Brenden’s voice came out of nowhere, dragging me out of my reminiscing.

“You scared me,” I put the last of their tee shirts in a large Rubbermaid container and quickly scanned their merchandise inventory to make sure everything was accounted for. Besides what Kate and I took, it was all there. “And no, I don’t. Between being a full time student and a teaching assistant in a couple English classes, I don’t have much time.”

“Yet you’re still here,” he smiled.

“Eight AM class be damned,” I replied. “I had a really good time and I don’t mind doing this. I’m sorta not ready to let go of the night yet.”

He nodded, still smiling, his sea blue eyes glowing. “Kate took off?”

“She didn’t say goodbye to you?”

He shook his head, “I’ve sorta been all over the place. Must’ve missed me.”

“Well then I’m sure she didn’t get a chance… she was wondering if she could get a phone number to get in contact with you guys… she didn’t ask you this, did she? She’d mentioned it before…?” He shook his head. “Well, she wanted to be able to get in contact with you guys in case another opportunity for a show came up.”

“Oh, awesome,” Brenden whipped out a pen and scribbled his number on a piece of paper. “We really had a good time up here. Just tell her to call in the summer.”

I laughed. “Too cold for you?”

“It’s October! It’s not supposed to be ready to snow.”

“Well,” I said after a moment, “I should probably head home.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty late,” he noted, “Especially if you have class first thing in the morning.”

“Don’t remind me.”

He snickered, “Well, Cailin, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Believe me, it’s all mine,” I assured him.

After saying goodbye to Duncan (who also pressed a kiss to my forehead affectionately) and the other guys, I started the block and a half walk to my car.

“Cailin!” I heard someone shout from inside the Encounter.

I turned around, surprised to see Brenden tugging a hoodie on over his tee shirt. “I realized that I’d be a huge asshole to make you walk to your car alone.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it.”

“No,” he caught up with me. “I want to do this.”

I shrugged and we walked in comfortable silence until we got to my car.

“What are you studying?” he asked suddenly.

“What?” his question caught me off-guard.

“In school.”

“Secondary ed—English. Unless my psych professor has anything to say about it,” I laughed. “Apparently he thinks I have the wrong major.”

“Well, good luck with that,” he grasped my hands in his. “It was really nice to meet you.” I noticed how much warmer his hands felt compared to mine. I didn’t want him to let go.

“You too, Brenden.” I was almost surprised at how much emphasis he was putting on this.

“Can I get your number?” he asked so quickly that I almost didn’t hear him. Almost.

“Uh… wow…” was all that came out.

“A little forward, I know,” he laughed uncomfortably, “Just my intuition, I think. I’d like to get to know you.”

“Have anything to write on?” I asked before I knew what I was saying.

“My hand?”

He reached for a permanent marker, but decided on a ballpoint pen instead. Holding out his hand and his pen, I took them both.

The action of writing the ten digits on his hand was surprisingly intimate. I noticed how close he was—so close his breath tickled my cheek. I noticed he smelled woodsy. I even noticed a tiny scar on the tip of his index finger.

His breath caught in his throat as I traced it with my pinky before releasing his hand. “Sometimes I play too hard,” he said of his guitar.

I nodded, not really hearing him. I unlocked my car slowly.

“Well, have a good night,” he said to me quietly, sounding slightly uncomfortable. Sounding exactly how I felt.

“You too… and give me a call some time,” I smiled at him and practically threw myself in my car. I watched him jog back into the venue, only looking back when he reached the doors. He waved slightly before disappearing inside.

I sat in my car for a long time before finally getting the courage to leave. With one last glance at the club, I headed home.

REVIEW PRETTY PLEASE! I’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER.

p.s. to those of you that read Family Matters, I've decided against the sequel for the time being. I didn't want to write something I wasn't totally into... sorry if that disappoints any of you. But I can tell you right now that this would be much better quality anyway!